I have not menu planned for the past two weeks, and while we managed to get food on the table in one way or another it has not been easy. I had several days during jury duty where I came home and rolled into a ball on the sofa, and let Brett try and throw something together. A couple of days it was just too hot to do anything in the kitchen. And, on other days I got everything ready to go and then discovered neither WenYu or YaYu was going to be home, so that meal would fall apart (there was no need to prepare so much for just Brett and me).
But, I am ready to get back at it again. Planning our meals makes life easier, and not just for the evening a meal is being served. I can think about the leftovers that will be available for YaYu’s lunches. Meal planning makes it easier to plan our shopping, both for the big shop and our weekly trips to the farmer’s market. It helps me know when I need to do what in the kitchen, like defrosting food or preparing sides. Brett tracks his daily calories, and knowing in advance what we’re having for dinner helps him plan his other meals and snacks. And of course, meal planning helps us save.
So, here I go again!
This week we’re having:
- Tuesday (this evening): Grilled chicken thighs; broccoli raisin salad; pilaf (no pilaf for me)
- Wednesday: Mabo nasu; steamed rice; cucumbers (I’m not having rice)
- Thursday: Spaghetti with marinara and meatballs; grilled zucchini; garlic bread (zoodles for me)
- Friday: Leftovers for Brett and me – YaYu has her first cross-country team spaghetti dinner (we always provide the garlic bread)
- Saturday: Grilled jalapeño-cheddar bratwurst; sauerkraut; mac salad (I’m going to pick up a small container of salad at Pono Market, enough for Brett and YaYu)
- Sunday: Chinese stir-fried tomatoes and eggs; steamed rice; cucumber salad (no rice for me)
- Monday: Grilled chicken and apple sausages; coleslaw; bread (I’m skipping the bread)
Other than tomatoes, cucumbers and a papaya, I’m not sure what we’ll get at the farmers’ market this week. We’ll just see what looks good!
The Occasional Nomads 
That broccoli cashew salad looks fabulous! We’re going to be eating leftover grilled salmon & grilled chicken this week, before we take off to Portland for a wedding.
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When I told YaYu about the broccoli salad she made a face, but I think she’s going to like it. Fresh broccoli is back at the farmers’ market though, so I’m trying to come up with different ways to use it besides stir frys (YaYu’s favorites).
Believe it or not, salmon is not my favorite fish. I can’t believe I lived in the NW all those years and never grew fond of it other than smoked salmon. Brett loves it, but defers to my preference for either ahi or local white fish (mong chong or opah). He orders salmon whenever he sees it on the menu.
Keeping my fingers crossed the fire will be under control and the skies clear when you’re in Portland for the wedding. It’s awful there right now. Friends in the Gorge, who live in a gorgeous historic home on the Columbia Gorge highway, are in danger of losing it to the Eagle Creek fire that is raging out of control right now. Very scary – Multnomah Falls area has been consumed by the fire.
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I’m a moderate salmon fan. Done properly, it’s fabulous. But, a lot of times it’s a bit under cooked from how I prefer it. It’s definitely M’s favorite food in the world, so we have it whenever we can get it fresh (from Alaska)
The fire is so scary. And, so very unnecessary. I have a feeling all of our lives are headed for a lot of adjustment based on hot weather & the risks associated with it.
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It feels at times like our country is in some sort of death spiral, with all this bad stuff happening. And as you said, some of it so unnecessary (like the Gorge fire in Oregon).
We see salmon at Costco here, but we try to stick with locally caught fish – even then it’s very expensive!
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